Implanted Device Controls Rheumatoid Arthritis

A nerve-stimulating electrical implant could give people a drug-free alternative to current treatments.

In early human tests, SetPoint Medical has found that an electronic implant helped reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in six of eight patients. The company, which is based in Valencia, California, is one of many groups exploring the potential of electronic implants to treat diseases by delivering pulses to nerves that regulate organ or body functions.